The Old Navy Experience

Roughly one month ago I pulled my favorite pair of Old Navy jeans from my closet. Faded, with frayed hems and long enough for my 5'10" frame, they were just the right color of blue and super comfortable. They were perfect jeans. Notice I said, "were".

When I put them on that day, I noticed a big hole in the left, inner thigh. Years of friction will do that. And, I'm not little. There was a lot of friction.

I wanted to cry. Okay, I did cry. Don't judge me.

A few days later, karma stepped in. As if my trip to Chicago hadn't turned out to be great enough on its own, it turns out that while I was there, I met a representative from Brand About Town. They looked at me, my kids and my blog and thought I would make a good Old Navy enthusiast. (Little did they know, I already was one!)

They offered me an "Old Navy Experience". I didn't really know what that meant, but part of me was secretly hoping to replace those jeans. So, heck yes! Sign me up!

Yesterday morning, they sent us a car. Here are the kids in the back seat just before sucking down juice boxes which the driver had chilled for them.


When we got to Old Navy, the kids ran off to pet Barker while I was introduced to our stylist.


They quickly left the dog so they could start shopping.

After that, we were shown to the dressing rooms...

...which were loaded, not just with clothes, but with organic cookies and lemonade for the kiddies!

They tried on TONS of Fall clothes.

And, because he needs to learn that he will someday spend a lot of time waiting on women, my son entertained himself in the clothing racks while his sister kept trying on outfits.

Finally, out the door we went with FOUR bags full of stuff.

Including tax, we spent $359.00 and we got 35 items. I'm no math major, but I AM a good shopper and I can tell you that is one incredible deal. We got quality clothing that averaged less than $10.27 a piece.

I bought the kids some school uniforms, jeans, sweat pants, shirts, jackets, pajamas...and I even got myself two long-sleeved t-shirts and a stainless steel water bottle.

Here is the longest receipt I have ever had.

The only problem? I forgot to get new jeans.

Little Alouette

My youngest child turned seven in May. When he came along, with the exception of a new high chair and a new stroller which were gifts from generous friends, everything he used was a hand-me-down from his big sister.

And when his big sister was born, in 1998, a lot of the things she used were hand-me-down as well. She even had a crib that belonged to one of my nieces...who was born in 1986.

They used those things, because the products on the market weren't much different. At that time, a crib was a crib, a stroller was a stroller and a car seat was a car seat.

In the time since then, however, all these people went and invented super-cool stuff! Which is so not fair, but is completely my luck and, therefore, not surprising in the least.

When my kids were babies, they had teethers and rattles just like every other child does. They were made of colored rubber, or plastic, or who knows what man-made material. There was nothing natural about the stuff my children chewed on.

But now, as my luck would have it, my friend Amy and her husband make the most beautiful, all-natural, wooden teethers. They are carved from Ohio maple, sanded with love in their backyard workshop and finished with organic flax seed oil.

They are pretty to look at and completely safe to bite. My kids totally missed out.

But, your baby or someone you know doesn't have to. Leave a comment on this post and I will draw a winner who will receive a lovely wee wood teether from Amy's Little Alouette store.

Someones child is going to be very lucky.

Winner will be chosen, at random, on August 28th at 6:00 PM EST.

8/28 UPDATE: CONGRATULATIONS TO LAURA BENSON!